The funny thing about Gertrude was that she was so human, and so not human all at once.

Thick black hair covered her entire body, like a giant fur coat. Her head was enormous, with a bulging forehead as long as her face. Two unusually large ears stuck out on the sides of the gorilla’s head, just above her eyes. Gorillas normally have tiny ears, but not Gertrude. Perhaps that is why the boy felt a special connection to her. Or perhaps it was her warm ginger eyes that flashed with kindness.

The gorilla’s wide nose was wrinkled like an old lady’s. This was fitting, as Gertrude was an old lady. She was fifty, positively ancient for a gorilla. But the thought that she was some sweet old dear would be gone the moment she opened her mouth.

FANGS!

Gertrude had the most magnificent set of fangs, two up and two down.

Also not sweet-old-dear-y were her arms. They were nearly as broad as her legs, and her legs were already broader than broad. What’s more, her huge tummy was round like a barrel. The things Eric loved most about his best friend were her hands and feet. They were much like his, except they were absolutely HUMONGOUS.

Gertrude might have been the biggest of all the apes in LONDON ZOO, but she was also the gentlest. Sometimes a sparrow would fly into her cage and land on her head. You might think that a gorilla, with its incredible strength, would crush an uninvited visitor in its hand. But not Gertrude. No, she would treat the little bird like a baby. The gorilla would hold it delicately in her hand and stroke it. Sometimes she would even mimic the birdsong.

“TWEET! TWEET!”

Then she would give the little creature a kiss on the beak.

“MWAH!”

All this would delight the crowds who would gather around Gertrude’s cage. The gorilla was LONDON ZOO’s

STAR ATTRACTION.

The worst thing about being an orphan was missing being hugged. Eric had lost his mum and dad during the war. They were both good at hugs. Sometimes they would even have a big family cuddle, with Eric in the middle. They called it a MUDDLE. Cuddle and middle.

The boy loved those muddles most of all. Feeling the love and warmth of both his parents made him feel safe. Now the war had torn them away from him.

Forever.

Eric knew he would never have that feeling again. So, when he gazed through the bars of Gertrude’s cage, he often wished he could magic his way inside. Then the gorilla could just wrap her big strong arms round him and hold him tight. Gertrude was as big as both his parents put together. Eric was sure she could give him a jolly good muddle.